Non-emissive display devices (referred to herein as “display devices”) (e.g., STN LCD, iMoD, or TFT LCD) typically include a front lighting or a back lighting system to increase visibility and display quality of images (e.g., text, line art, graphical images, and the like) shown on the display devices. FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate components of a conventional front lighting system 100 for a reflective display device. Referring first to FIGS. 1A-1B, the front lighting system 100 includes a light emitting diode (LED) 102, an angle-matching component 104, and an (injection molded) light bar 106. The LED 102 is placed at one end of the light bar 106 to direct light into the light bar 106, and the angle-matching component 104 is placed between the LED 102 and the light bar 106 to maximize the amount of light captured by the light bar 106. The light directed in to the light bar 106 is generally confined within the light bar through total internal reflection (TIR) at the air/light bar interface surrounding the light bar 106. The light bar 106 typically includes a plurality of facets 108 (or features) molded into a face of the light bar that disrupts the total internal reflection of the light. The facets 108 are typically precisely designed and spaced to ensure that light exits from the light bar 106 in a uniform fashion along the length of the light bar.
Referring to FIGS. 1C-1D, the front lighting system 100 further includes a reflector 110 and a light guide plate 112. The light guide plate 112 is bonded to the light bar 106 and substantially covers a viewable portion of a display device 114. The reflector 110 directs the light exiting from the light bar 106 towards the light guide plate 112, which light is then, once again, generally totally internally reflected within the light guide plate 112. The light guide plate 112 typically includes a plurality of facets (not shown) that are molded onto the surface 116 of the light guide plate 112. These facets disrupt the total internal reflection of the light within the light guide plate 112 and direct light uniformly onto the display device 114.
In high volume manufacturing of display devices, the cumulative costs associated with the individual components of a conventional front lighting system can be substantial. Accordingly, what is needed is a front lighting system that includes fewer components than conventional front lighting systems. The present invention addresses such a need.